The S-Word: Discourse, Stereotypes, and the American Indian Woman

What’s in a name? Plenty when it comes to the ability of words to
establish identity. In 2005 in Oregon, for example, 142 land
features carried the name ‘‘squaw’’—Squaw Gulch, Squaw Butte,
Squaw Meadows, and Squaw Flat Reservoir (U.S. Geological
Survey, 2008). This article examines the term squaw, its presentation
in popular culture, and how this framing constructs Native
womanhood in the public imagination. Two primary representations
are revealed in the discourse defining squaw: as sexual
punching bag and as drudge. The opinions and attitudes of
reporters, citizens (Indian and non-Indian), government officials,
agencies, and tribal representatives are included as reflected in
journalistic accounts of the land form debate about the use and
meaning of the label squaw. The psychological impact of this racial
and sexual slur has a significant negative impact on quality of life,
perceptions, and opportunities for Native American women
(ethnostress) due to the consistent use and reification of the squaw
stereotype through more than 400 years of U.S. history. This article
is written as part of a larger body of work that argues for an
expansion of Schroeder and Borgerson’s (2005, 2008) representational
ethics of images to include words.